But can the prosecution valuations always be relied on?

The value of cannabis will vary depending on its general type, the area of the UK where it may be sold and whether it is sold in small retail, larger retail or wholesale amounts (i.e. 1 gram, 1 ounce or 1 kilogram amounts).

The police valuation experts will usually value cannabis at the lowest possible saleable denomination, which is a 1 gram deal, thus making any valuation at the higher end of the scale of value for any particular amount of cannabis. They will also usually value cannabis as ‘skunk’ (a ‘street’ term describing cannabis in the form of non-seeded female flowering top material) which commands the highest street price, based on the crown scientist’s description of the cannabis that they examined.

It is not uncommon for the actual nature of the cannabis seized to be different from what the police valuation expert assumes it to be. For example, cannabis described in the crown scientist’s statement as including female flowering top material may be assumed by the person valuing it to be all ‘skunk’ cannabis and be valued at several thousand pounds, when in fact it may be virtually all cannabis leaf material with some flowering top material included and therefore be relatively worthless.

It is therefore very important to your clients that the nature of any cannabis they are accused of supplying is properly assessed and then correctly valued.

Forensic Equity boasts the UK’s leading cannabis expert who, with over 40 years of experience of cannabis in general and 20 years of experience in cannabis cultivation, is uniquely placed to determine the true nature and value of the cannabis in any case.

Should you wish to discuss this subject further or any of the other forensic services that we can provide then please contact our principal forensic scientist Anne Franc at anne.franc@forensicequity.com